An addiction pre-natal specialist is a professional who deals with expectant women who are suffering from alcohol or drug addiction. The main goal of this professional is to treat the mother, help her understand that taking alcohol or drugs is harmful to her health, and make her understand that she, as well as her baby, are at high risk since these substances are toxic to her body. This is especially true for the baby, and may cause life threatening illnesses and diseases, even fatalities.
As a pre-natal addiction specialist, the task of helping the mother overcome her addiction involves more than medication and counseling. Part of the job is helping the entire family understand the situation of their loved one, and to provide information about the effects of the kind of substance the patient is addicted to (i.e alcohol, cocaine, meth, marijuana, or another drug).
More often than not, a pre-natal addiction specialist will work hand in hand with the patient’s OB-Gyn to treat the addiction. The pre-natal addiction specialist informs the health professional concerning programs and trainings.
Aside from these things, a pre-natal addiction specialist is also responsible for screening patients and taking part in state campaigns to fight alcohol and drug addiction pertaining to women who are pregnant.
If you are interested in becoming a pre-natal addiction specialist, you have to possess certain qualifications before you can get a job in this field. Proper education, training, certifications, and experience are the most basic requirements of the job.
Most pre-natal addiction specialists have a bachelor’s degree in nursing or equivalent. Some have master’s degrees with CPAS, CARN, or CADC certification. Since the need for pre-natal addiction treatment is still present, and the United States is becoming more diverse, many treatments centers look for specialists who are multi-lingual. Having experience in the addiction treatment field is also helpful. Other qualifications are specific to the institution that is hiring.
There are schools and universities dedicated to train people who want to become an addiction pre-natal specialist. In fact, you can obtain the information and process your application online.
New Directions for Women prides itself in transforming lives. We want to be a resource for anyone who wants to help reach those families that suffer from or are impacted by addiction. If you know a woman who needs pre-natal addiction treatment please contact our loving Admissions Counselors at 800-93-WOMEN or find us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. We can help.
